By Shelly M.
Last Updated October 29, 2026, reposted November 10, 2026
Have you ever heard of the term “power dressing?”
Power dressing is a way of presenting yourself through clothing that a) has your personality written all over it, b) makes you feel confident, and d) by virtue of a) and b) commands attention when you walk in a room. Power dressing, according to a quote from Nadege Vanhee centers around wearing “clothes that embolden you [2].”
The same can be said of hairstyles.
Which hairstyles embolden you? Are you a person who explores different hairstyles regularly, or do you have an iconic look that you’ve stuck to for a while? In either case, it really boils down to the amount of personality in your hairstyle and how your hairstyle makes you feel.
Let’s dig a bit deeper into the characteristics of a power hair style.
It Has Your Personality Written All Over It
Ever heard someone say “oh, you’re trying too hard,” or “its just not you” when it comes to a stylistic choice? It is likely that they’re responding to the clash between your chosen outfit or hairstyle, and what they know about you (if they know you well). Your style ought to come from you. It comes from things you like, and not what others try to define as style. Sometimes, if you are on the more creative side, you can make new styles of your own. Either way, your “power move” style should be something you would have chosen without anyone telling you their preferences.
Believe it or not, many people are afraid to truly be themselves and embrace their own style. Your style doesn’t have to be raunchy or wildly inappropriate. But it does need to be you.
You Feel Empowered and Confident in It
There’s something that makes us feel good about being able to incorporate the things that make us happy into our style. Finding a really fun hairstyle that you like and making it a part of your everyday look is a great example. Its the freedom to carry this piece of yourself with you into that board room, social outing, or just out and about – and it being acceptable – that is the most empowering!
Furthermore, the ease with which you wear your hairstyle and confidence kind of go hand-in-hand. Ever worn an uncomfortable piece of clothing and tried to look at ease? Its kind of hard, isn’t it? The lack of ease can chip away at your self confidence in the moment, and maybe even give others the sense that you’re not at ease. Hence, our tip: wear style that you are comfortable in, and the coalescence between your comfort and your personality shining through can do wonders to boost confidence. After all, you’d be able to devote your attention to that interesting conversation, or to tackling the tasks of the day rather than to wondering about what others think, or if anyone can tell that this or that about your hair or clothing isn’t “perfect.”
It Commands Attention When You Walk in a Room
Confidence by itself does this, but we’re talking about “power dressing” here. So here it is. You’ve chosen a hairstyle that is SO you. Its great for everyday life, work, or school. You feel great in it, and it takes you back to that place of creativity. Your happiness in it puts a smile on your face, and maybe even a pep in your step. And people take notice. First of all, yes, the hair style itself caught their attention. But its the way you wore it, compared to the ways other people are wearing theirs. It says, “I chose this look, and I am not sorry.”
And confidence is attractive. It puts others at ease around you, gives you some level of authority, and makes you seem more trustworthy. This may be reaching here, but I’ve personally found it to be true that a nice confidence-boosting hair style can even affect work performance, mainly in the sense that I feel that I can tackle anything.
However, let’s note the difference between confidence and arrogance, the latter of which shall remain unendorsed… The Cambridge Dictionary defines confidence as “the quality of being certain of your abilities [3],” whereas arrogance is defined as “the quality of being unpleasantly proud and behaving as if you are more important than, or know more than, other people [4].” Power dressing is really about you sharing a bit of yourself with the world around you and inspiring that world for the better. Its something that ideally, everybody can do in their own way, so no one is better than anyone in this regard.
Conclusion
The way we dress and carry ourselves can say a thousand things about us before we ever speak a word. With power dressing, you are sharing that you are ready to tackle the tasks of the day because you’re sporting your own style, comfortable in your own skin, and thereby not obsessed with the way you look. And confidence can be very contagious, and you may just inspire someone who was struggling to find their voice to truly be themselves.
Its the ability to help people see beauty and potential within themselves that is the truly “powerful,” if you will, position to be in. And inspiring confidence in bold and edgy hairstyles is the very essence of Hairnastics.
References
[1] Image credit: Reza Delkhosh via Unsplash.
[2] Katharine K. Zarrella, “‘Don’t Erase Yourself.’ What Power Dressing Means for Women in 2023.” The Wall Street Journal. Date accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/don-t-erase-yourself-what-power-dressing-means-for-women-in-2023/ar-AA1gMZrd?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=59f3882ebda64ad0f3640da1f46a1c3e&ei=11.
[3] “Confidence,” Cambridge Dictionary. Date accessed 11 January 2025. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/confidence.
[4] “Arrogance,” Cambridge Dictionary. Date accessed 11 January 2025. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/arrogance.
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About the Author
Shelly M. is the founder of Hairnastics.com. She is an artist, entrepreneur, engineer, and hair stylist. She started Hairnastics.com after years of wondering if she’d ever enjoy her natural hair in the midst of perms, imposed beauty standards, and professional settings that left her wondering how she could continue to bring a little more of herself with her. She’s enjoyed interweaving her own personality into every one of her hairstyles and being inspired by others who do the same.
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